The ideal dimension of political activity in the teachings of Benedict XVI

Presented by Crossroads Cultural Center

As we all know, this is an election year, and we are going to be bombarded with political messages coming from various directions. Most of the time, these messages will assume all kinds of cultural and philosophical presuppositions, and will aim at manipulating our psychological reactions more than appealing to our reason. Frequently, we will be presented with a pre-packaged list of "issues" and we will be asked to choose between equally unsatisfactory answers to ill-posed questions. Often, we will be obliged to try and accommodate ideological categories that we feel are alien to us, and to place our hope where it clearly does not belong.

At the same time, an election is also a precious occasion because it is a time when our society is forced to reflect upon what we truly hope and desire. It is a time when it is possible to exercise critical thinking, ask new questions and challenge ideological prejudices. In order to take full advantage of this occasion, we begin by taking a step back and reflecting, at a very basic level, on what can be a genuine Christian contribution to the political debate at hand. As you know, this has been the theme of a series of important speeches by Pope Benedict XVI, including his lecture last year at Westminster Hall in London and more recently his intervention at the German parliament.
Crossroads thought it would interesting to try and look at the political debate in the US through the lens of what the Pope said.
For this purpose, we have invited two speakers, both well versed in the US political scene and the teaching of Benedict XVI.
The event is open to the public and free of charge.

About this Event

Date: Wednesday, June 27, 2012Time: 7pmLocation: New York University
Kimmel Center, Room 905
60 Washington Square South
New York, NYClick here for directions.